Recent content by Putnamsmif

Whether or not anyone gets the answer is not the point. A more patronising, egotistical, holier-than-thou approach I have ever had the misfortune to find on a forum.

Why be so cryptic about it? We're all trying to do the best for the bees.

Thanks Sharon. I'm just a bit concerned it's a bit late to be messing about with my other 2 colonies.

Presuming Ed... that's my nickname. I've not collected a swarm before but there were a lot of bees - enough to pretty much fill a poly-nuc so I presumed - perhaps wrongly - it was a prime swarm and they would therefore have a laying queen. I honestly don't know how long a swarmed queen would...

Thanks Elaine, I was erring on the side of not really anything else I can do.

When I transferred to them to the national poly on Sunday noticed no eggs or brood, just 6 brood frames of stores. Presuming the queen was lost or damaged or killed when I collected them. However they seem extremely happy and considering their presumed queen less state exceptionally calm. Can I...

I suppose it stands to reason really as they decide whether she's up to scratch or not. How do they regulate her then? By the amount of food they give her? Or by the number of prepared cells?

Just a point of interest really. I collected a late swarm and put them in a poly nuc and donated a frame of capped/ just emerging brood from another hive. I am going to have to put them into a poly national as they are still drawing comb like crazy - 5 frames of foundation drawn pretty much in 3...

Isn't it something to do with the mild Winter? Contrary to popular belief cold winters are better for them as in mild Winters they emerge too early and there is less food and they have a longer period to feed their brood. I heard that on the BBC… it must be true.

Thanks, I'll feed them later and have a quick peek. They fit quite nicely into a 6 frame nuc which is where I intended to over-winter them.

I collected my first swarm a couple of days ago. I've recently acquired a new apiary site but was going to wait until Spring to move some hives but I am going to put this swarm there. Would it be a good idea, as it's quite late in the season and I don't have any any drawn brood frames, to give...

Collected a swarm this evening. Due to work I had to leave them in the hive where I collected them. And I'm not going to be able to get over there tomorrow until the evening again due to work commitments. I can't leave them where they are because they are too near the landowner's house. My...

Someone will probably shoot me down here, but is it possible that bees are capable of regulating how much venom is injected? I know you're supposed to remove the stinger to prevent more venom being injected, but I know some snakes are capable of delivering a dry bite. I don't know enough about...

I've got the chance of a new apiary site which in Spring and Summer should offer some really good varied forage, BUT, it is quite exposed to the North and East. Would I be better leaving them in my current spot until the Spring and then moving them, or would plenty of kingspan and making sure...

I don't mind wasps, I don't mind gypsies, I dislike bigots intensely. Ignore button in action.